32 JOURNAIv OF MAINE ORNITHOI^OGICAL SOCIETY, 



it is also found in evergreen swamps such as it inhabits during the 

 breeding season. The song consists of three notes. The following 

 is the best representation that I can give of it: "Sisser, sisser, see." 

 It is very weak and may easily escape notice even when heard 

 near by. 



The Yellow-bellied Flycatcher arrives May 25th. The typical 

 home of this Ijird is an almost impenetrable dense swamp of cedars 

 with a mixture of firs. On the ground is standing water; fallen 

 trees, underbrush and tangled growths block the way. From the 

 gloomy depths of this uninviting place comes a weak note that 

 sounds like a click, or perhaps it may suggest to you a tiny hiccough 

 or sneeze. When heard near at hand, this note sounds very much 

 like, and sometimes is indistinguishable from, the song of the Least 

 Flycatcher. There is no difhculty, however, in distinguishing the 

 two species by their songs, for there is always a long pause after 

 each song of the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. The two species have 

 in common one note, which suggests the rattling of a loose harmon- 

 ica reed. Besides these two notes, the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 

 has another, a low, short whistle. This species is quite shy, and it 

 is not easy to get within good range of it. When observed at a little 

 distance away it looks exactly like a Least Flycatcher, but when 

 viewed close at hand it will be seen that the under parts are dusky 

 yellow and that there is no eye-ring. 



White-winged Crossbills feed upon the seeds of hemlock and 

 spruce. A flock of these birds in a treetop look like Pine Gros- 

 beaks, but they may be distinguished from them by their wings, 

 which are jet black, with two very conspicuous white wing-bars. 

 Their notes also will aid in identifying them. They utter chirping 

 notes and sometimes a chorus of whistles. They also make squeak- 

 ing notes like Redpolls and Goldfinches. 



My earliest and latest date for the Hudsonian Chickadee is 

 Nov. I, 1904, and May 7, 1905. This species may be looked for 

 among evergreen trees, and has the .same feeding habits and general 

 appearance as the Chickadee. The crown-cap is brownish-gray in- 

 stead of black, there is no white on the upper parts, and the sides 



